In Huzhou of Zhejiang, people make zongzi (a kind of pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in reed leaves) at home for tomb sweeping. They can also bring zongzi for hiking. As the saying goes, “In Qingming, zongzi is the major food.”
Around the time of Qingming, snails are very fat. There is a proverb, “A snail in Qingming is as big as a goose.” In rural families, people have the custom of eating snails on Qingming Festival. On the day, people pick out the snail flesh with needles for cooking, which is called tiaoqing. Then, they threw the snail shells on the roofs and the sound of shells rolling on the roof can drive mice away. Without mice, people can raise silkworms at home after Qingming Festival. On the Qingming Festival, community feasts are usually held and families of the same ancestral halls gather together for the feast. For people with no ancestral hall, families with the same great grandfather gather together for the feasts. The dishes for the feasts are mainly fish, meat, tofu and vegetables. They also drink homemade liquor.